Pennington Biomedical's Dr. Yun Shen Awarded $250,000 to Explore AI for Hypertension Management in Type 2 Diabetes Care
Research award presented through the Collaboration in Action Program, a collaboration between LSU and Our Lady of the Lake Health.
BATON ROUGE—Pennington Biomedical Research Center's Dr. Yun Shen will lead a team to explore the use of AI for precision hypertension management in Type-2 diabetes care. The research is funded through an award of $250,000 from the Collaboration in Action Program, established by Championship Health Partners LSU and Our Lady of the Lake Health.
Hypertension is a comorbidity present in 85 percent of patients who have Type-2 diabetes, leading to a significant increase in risk of cardiovascular issues. The research project, "Harnessing AI for precision hypertension management: Advancing treatment paradigms in type 2 diabetes care," will examine a large collection of anonymized data from Our Lady of the Lake Health's electronic health records for Type 2 diabetes patients.
Researchers will apply this data to an artificial intelligence-based decision-making system, which will help interpret the data and guide personalized drug dosing and treatments. The goal is enhanced blood pressure control, reduced cardiovascular risks, and improved quality of life for patients.
"Controlling blood pressure is a key factor in reducing diabetic complications," said Dr. Shen, Assistant Professor of Chronic Disease Epidemiology Research at Pennington Biomedical. "By guiding the AI's analysis of this data trove, we will gain a better understanding of not only the array of Type-2 diabetes cases, but how to best treat them through ideal medication dosing and additional care. I'm proud to join my colleagues at LSU in this endeavor."
The Collaboration in Action program is an effort to strengthen bonds in the research community, enhancing collaboration between researchers at Pennington Biomedical Research Center, LSU, Our Lady of the Lake Health, and other partners. In September 2024, the Collaboration in Action program announced an investment of $1.2 million to support five collaborative LSU teams who will pursue basic, clinical and translational research in five critical areas: cardiovascular disease and care; comprehensive cancer care; trauma and neuroscience; chronic respiratory disease; and sports medicine and performance. The AI for Type 2 diabetes project led by Dr. Shen is among the final two recipients awarded for the inaugural round.
"The intellectual capital, research capacity, and worldclass facilities in Baton Rouge and South Louisiana are ripe for the sort of collaboration fostered in the Collaboration in Action program," said Dr. John Kirwan, Executive Director of Pennington Biomedical. "I congratulate Dr. Shen and his colleagues, both here at Pennington Biomedical and elsewhere, as they embark on this innovative approach, applying cutting-edge artificial intelligence technology to an issue affecting Type 2 diabetes patients everywhere. Collaborative approaches such as this breed creative thinking and innovative discoveries."
In the spirit of the collaborative research approach, Dr. Shen will work with colleagues from various organizations, including Dr. Shuangqing Wei of LSU, Dr. Ibrahim Musa Yola of LSU Health New Orleans, and Drs. Tiffany Wesley Ardoin, Tonya Jagneaux and Jolene Johnson of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System/LSU Health New Orleans. Drs. Gang Hu and Ronald Horswell, as well as San Chu of Pennington Biomedical are also collaborating on the project.
"I am thrilled to be part of such a diverse and strong interdisciplinary team," said Dr. Shuangquing Wei, professor and chair of the Electrical & Computer Engineering Division of the LSU College of Engineering. "I am also grateful for the generous support through this pilot program, which will empower us to develop tailored algorithms designed to help Type 2 Diabetes patients more effectively manage their blood pressure. Applying AI techniques in healthcare has garnered tremendous interest, and I am excited to contribute to this transformative journey."
"I am excited to collaborate with this exceptional team to leverage artificial intelligence in tackling the pressing health challenges facing our community," said Dr. Tonya Jagneaux, Chief Medical Informatics Officer and Chief Medical Analytics Officer at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center. "By integrating AI-driven insights, we have a unique opportunity to refine treatment strategies, improve patient outcomes, and address healthcare inequities. This research represents a significant step toward advancing precision medicine and enhancing care for those living with Type 2 diabetes and hypertension."
About Collaboration in Action
Our Lady of the Lake Health and LSU have developed a first-of-its-kind, long-term, healthcare-focused partnership to set a new standard for healthcare delivery, research and education that improves health and well-being, supports athletic excellence, fosters research to stimulate economic growth and development, and transforms healthcare and education for the future. Learn more about the transformative partnership: lsu.edu/healthcare-partnership
About Our Lady of the Lake Health
Our Lady of the Lake Health is a not-for-profit Catholic healthcare ministry based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, that has been committed to serving the Capital Region and building a healthy community through excellence in patient care and education for 100 years. With more than 7,500 employees, a 900-bed Regional Medical Center, a dedicated 99-bed Children's Hospital, a 78-bed hospital in Gonzales, Louisiana, two freestanding emergency rooms in outlying parishes, and a 650+ provider Physician Group, Our Lady of the Lake Health provides comprehensive healthcare services for common to complex conditions. Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center is a primary teaching site for graduate medical education programs in partnership with LSU and is recognized in the areas of heart and vascular, trauma and emergency care, stroke, cancer care, minimally invasive procedures, and more. Our Lady of the Lake is part of the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System and is driven by its mission to serve all God's people, especially those most in need. For more information, visit olormc.com.
About the Pennington Biomedical Research Center
The Pennington Biomedical Research Center is at the forefront of medical discovery as it relates to understanding the triggers of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and dementia. Pennington Biomedical has the vision to lead the world in promoting metabolic health and eliminating metabolic disease through scientific discoveries that create solutions from cells to society. The center conducts basic, clinical, and population research, and is a campus in the LSU System.
The research enterprise at Pennington Biomedical includes over 600 employees within a network of 44 clinics and research laboratories, and 13 highly specialized core service facilities. Its scientists and physician/scientists are supported by research trainees, lab technicians, nurses, dietitians, and other support personnel. Pennington Biomedical is a globally recognized state-of-the-art research institution in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
For more information, see www.pbrc.edu.
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Media Contacts:
Joe Coussan
Pennington Biomedical Research Center
225-763-3049
Joe.coussan@pbrc.edu
Ernie Ballard
Pennington Biomedical Research Center
225-763-2677
Ernie.ballard@pbrc.edu
Provided by Pennington Biomedical Research Center